Nick Rutherford
It was a hard number to say no to, but I have a strong growth mindset and I care a lot about how I spend my time and who I’m becoming. I wanted desperately to be in a place where I feel stimulated and I’m interested in the work I’m doing.
I was doing well, but I didn’t get that feeling at my internship. I didn’t have any bad experiences — there was just not enough work that I really enjoyed, like building models.
I didn’t have any other offers. The alternative was job hunting from scratch, not knowing what I would land and whether the offer would even come close to what JPMorgan was paying.
I thought, “What is the worst that can happen if I turn this down?” The answer was that I won’t have a job for a few months, but I’ll find one. I consulted my family, and one professor from my business school about my decision and turned it down.
Once I sent that email, I did not wallow about my decision. I went right back and found more jobs, made my spreadsheets just like before, started going for interviews. In a couple of months, I applied to a role at Unilever for a leadership program.
I used a lot of the same skills that helped me land the finance internship in my Unilever interviews.
I landed an offer at the company’s New Jersey office and am due to start working this fall. The pay was a significant cut from my first offer, but I see it as: If I enjoy what I’m doing, the money will come.
There was definitely the prestige factor of having JPMorgan on my résumé for a few years, but I just didn’t care that much about it as compared to what else I was looking for in a job.
I think that’s how many other Gen Zs are viewing work nowadays. They no longer want to give away 40 years of their lives for an annual paycheck. We’re being a lot more demanding about wanting a company culture and more than just wages.
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https://www.businessinsider.com/new-grad-gave-up-six-figure-jpmorgan-finance-job-satisfaction-2024-8